Electric switch for railways



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. WHEELER. ELECTRIC SWITGH FOR RAILWAYS.

No. 541,194. Patented June 18, 1895.

hwvnxma W WM (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. WHEELER.

' ELECTRIC SWITCH FOR RAILWAYS.

Y No. 541,194. Patented June 18, 1895.

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LEONARD WHEELER, OF SIOUX'CITY,'IOWA.

ELECTRIC SWITCH FOR RAILWAYS.

SfPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,194, dated June 18, 1895.

Application filed June 3, 1894- Serial No. 513,875. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEONARD WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sioux Gity,in the county of Woodbury and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches-for Railways; and I do declare the following to be a 7 operated by electricity, under control of the driver of the car and without the use of extra Overhead wires.

My invention is especially adapted to electric railways but may be used for any railway by the application of an electric battery to the car.

It is well known that the use of the ordinary switch tongue moved by a hand lever renders it impracticable for the drivers stand to be covered or vestibuled for protection from the weather, as the driver must reach over the car front to move the tongue. Moreover, valuable time is lost while the speed of the car is slackened to enable the driver to turn the switch.

With my invention the switch may be turned with the car at full speed.

Reference is now had to the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Figure 1 is a side view of a section of a car, showing different means on each end of the car for connecting the current of electricity with the switch. Fig. 2 is a right-hand end viewof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a'diagrammatic view of switch-rails, showing also the false rails, magnets, wires, and lever for moving the switch-tongue. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of magnets and lever, also boxes inclosing the same and sections of rail and switchtongue. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of Fig.

. 4'. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of lever,brush,

and contact-plates shown on left-hand end of car in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a view of wheel which may be substituted for the brush shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of springlever and contact-plates shown on right-hand end of car in Fig. 1. Fig. 9is a front end View of same. Fig. 10 is a partial left-hand end view of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the illustrations in which like parts are designated by similar letters of reference, A is a section of car.

A is the switch, or car controller, ordinarily used for regulating the supply of the electrical current.

A is the ground or return wire of the car connecting the controller A with the contact plates B secured to the bottom of the car, A.

A is another section of the return wire and connects the contact plates B with the car wheels b I), thus communicating with the ground as shown in Fig. 1.

B B are insulated plates secured to the bottom of the car platform, one being on each side of the controller, and movably secured to each of said plates is an arm B, composed of steel or other metal having conductivity of electric current and capable of projecting diagonally downward toward the ground. An insulated foot lever B is movably secured to each of said arms and projects upward through the floor of the platform where the motorneer stands and has a foot plate B B B are contact plates secured to the arms B directly underneath the plates B and adapted to connect therewith when the arms are raised.

13 B are wire brushes secured to the lower ends of the arms B and adapted for contact with the false rails D D, 850.

B is a coil spring connecting the arm B with the bottom of the car and adapted to hold the arm up from the rails when said arm is in its normal position.

In Fig. 9, a wheel M, having conductivity of electric current, is shown, and may be used instead of the brush B for contact with the false rails. Two of said arms, B, together with the plates, springs and levers described, are attached to each end of a car and each arm is operated independently of the other arms. When the arm B is raised the electrical current is conveyed from the controller A by the wire A plates B and B and the roe wire A to the car wheels by means of axle bearings, as ordinarily, but when the motorneer presses upon the foot plate B the arm B is forced downward and the return current is cutoff from the car and conveyed down the arm and brush, or wheel, to the false rail and the switch is turned, as will be presently described. a

O 0, Figs. 1, 2 and 8, are steel spring levers which may be used for connecting the current with the false rails instead of the arms B and brushes, or wheels. These levers are secured to the bottom of the car by means of nuts and bolts and the insulated plates 0 O, being adapted, when raised, to press directly against the contact plate B The contact plate B and the coil spring B are omitted. The contact with the false rails D, D, &c., is made in the same manner as with the arms already described.

D, D, D D represent false rails or steel plates secured to the ties between the track rails E and E, there being two of said rails on each side of the switch. These rails are always to be properly insulated from the track rails.

E is the switch tongue and extends somewhat below the rails to enable the switch rod to be attached. Beneath the switch rails is a water-tight box F containing two electro-magnets F and F Secured to the switch tongue at the bottom portion thereof is a lever G, having an armature G resting between said electro-magnets.

H, H, H and H are wires connecting respectively the false rails D, D, D and D with the electro-magnets. IVhen the electric current is conveyed by the means already described to one of the false rails,it is carried by one of the wires to one of the electro-magnets which attracts the armature and opens or closes the switch. Thus suppose a car to be at the left of the switch in Fig. 3, and it is desired that it pass the switch upon the main track. The switch being open, the motorueer presses upon the foot plate at his right, the current is broken from the car and conveyed to the false rail D and by the wire H to the electro-magnet F, which attracting the armature G closes the switch.

The switch rod is inclosed within a casing f, connecting with the box F, and is rendered air and water tight by means of the plugK and the packing L and L. Means for regulating the length of the switch rod and preventing a too sudden concussion of the switch are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The rod is composed of two parts G and G. The portion G has an enlarged hollow part g into the center of which is tightly fitted a nut g. The portion G screws into said nut and may be shortened or lengthened as desired. The hollow part g is filled with hard india rubber which surrounds the nut and the rods and tends to lessen the force of the attractive power of the electro-magnets.

In Fig. 3 is shown a drain 1 running from underneath the switch tongue to a sink I and adapted to carry away the water which may settle at the switch and interfere with its free operation.

I am aware that electrically controlled switches are not new but I know of none possessing the advantages here set forth.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 15-

1. In an apparatus for the control of a switch, the combination with a car having conductors in communication with a source of electric supply, of arms, possessing conductivity of electric current, movably secured beneath the car platform by means of insulated plates and independently adapted to be said switch is to be turned, and wires con-' nectin g said contact plates and the car wheels,

substantially as described.

v2. In an apparatus for the control of a switch, the combination with a car having conductors in communication with a source of electric supply, of arms, possessing conductivity of electrical current, movably secured to the car platform by means of insulated plates and independently adapted tobe pressed downward upon plates secured between the track rails, said arms having communication with the return current of the car, insulated levers secured to said arms and extending upward through the car platform,

wires connecting the car controller with said arms, contact plates secured to said arms and contact plates secured to the bottom of the. car, said plates being adapted to be pressed together when the arms are in their normal position, wires connecting the contact plates on the car with the wheels of the car, springs connecting said arms and the car and adapted to hold up said arms and press said plates to gether when said arms are in their normal position and a perfect current is secured, and brushes, having conductivity of electrical current, secured to the lower ends of said arms and adapted to press upon the plates situated between the rails, substantially as described.

3. In an electric switch, the combination with false rails, or plates, secured between the track rails and possessing conductivity of current and insulated from track rails, and adapted to independently receive the current from the car, of electro-magnets situated in a water tight casing near the swinging rail, wires separately connecting said false rails nor and said electro-magnets so that the current tight casing'for said rod, substantially as demay be connected with either of said magscribed. 10 nets, an armature movably situated between In testimony whereof I affix my signature said electro-magnets, a rod connecting said in presence of two witnesses.

armature and the swinging ,rail, means for LEONARD WHEELER. lengthening and shortening said rod, hard Witnesses:

rubber packing for said rod to prevent too F. W. LOHB,

great concussion of the switch, and a water- H. O. GARDINER. 

